Fighting continues in Sangin
Afghan security forces and the Taliban are continuing to fight for control of a key town in the province of Helmand. A police commander in Sangin said Afghan security forces had recaptured the governor’s compound there. And a spokesman for the Afghan army says overnight air strikes on Taliban targets killed 25 militants and wounded 12 others. The town is strategically important for the Taliban as it lies on a smuggling route for drugs, arms and other goods, which fund the group.
Controversial death sentence in murder case
A Thai court has sentenced two migrant workers from Myanmar to death for the murder of two British backpackers. David Miller and Hannah Witheridge, were killed on the island of Koh Tao last September. The two men had initially admitted to raping and murdering the pair. But they later denied the charges, saying they were forced to confess under torture. The lawyers of Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun say they will appeal against the verdict.
Gazans to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem
Israeli authorities say they have granted special permission to 800 Christians in the Gaza Strip to travel out during the Christmas season. Families plan to visit Bethlehem, which is the birthplace of Jesus, and other areas in the occupied West Bank. Around 3,500 Christians live in Gaza, which is a majority Muslim area of 1.5 million people. In his Christmas message, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Jesus “a symbol for all Palestinians.” He went on to criticise Israel, saying Palestinians in Bethlehem would celebrate Christmas “surrounded by 18 illegal settlements and an annexation wall.”
Refugees win big at Christmas lottery
The owner of a lottery agency says that around 35 African refugees are among the top prize winners of Spain’s Christmas lottery. He said the winners include refugees from Senegal, Mali, and Morocco and that a Senegalese man won the equivalent of 438,000 dollars. Ngama and his wife were rescued by the Spanish coast guard in 2007 while trying to cross into Spain.
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